Public Policy and Advocacy

Policy change can be big or small. It can be petitioning your school board to require healthier cafeteria meals. It can be urging your government to invest more in schools, or make child tax credits permanent, or make more children eligible for health insurance. Or it can be mobilizing your contacts to speak out on a critical cause, in person or online.

United Way galvanizes people to speak out for change. We're amplifying individuals’ voices on important community issues. As the largest privately-funded nonprofit in the world, we provide a platform for people to take meaningful action that makes a difference.

Almost 120,000 Calgarians live in poverty in Calgary, struggling to meet their basic needs let alone save for the future. The City of Calgary has played a major leadership role in co-sponsoring with United Way the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative (CPRI). Following significant community consultation, a strategy was developed and adopted by both organizations on May 27, 2013.

United Way joined with community organizations in 2014 to pass a state bill to fund preschool for low-income students through private investments, adding 750 new seats for four year olds in public and private programs. The law paved the way for a “pay for success” model for early education – the first of its kind – in which private investors make a loan to proven programs, and the state pays them back only after the program demonstrates positive results.

United Way's Policy Work

United Way’s Policy Agenda for the 115th Congress helps fulfill our obligation to assist policy-makers in crafting the best possible governmental policies in the areas of education, financial stability and health, while also tackling important policies that strengthen communities at-large.

As Congress contemplates an overhaul of the tax code, United Way is weighing in to on solutions that create more opportunity for children, families and communities. Tax policies that advance the common good include: charitable giving incentives, the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Join us in asking Congress to protect charitable giving and expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to support working Americans.

VITA leverages volunteer power so that millions of Americans can access free quality tax preparation, asset-building resources and financial education services. We’re asking Congress to shore up support for this vital public-private partnership to build financial stability in communities around the country. Check out how local United Ways are leveraging VITA volunteers to support millions of Americans and return millions of dollars to communities.